Kimkim Trip Reviews

Miglé made this the most seamless, stress-free international trip I’ve ever been on! I cannot recommend her enough - trip of a lifetime!

Hi Liz

It was a great trip. My wife and I had a wonderful time with our friends and enjoyed Peru greatly. We will recommend you to other friends who may want to experience Peru.

Thank you

Gary

We went to Cambodia for two weeks and the trip was exceptionally organized by our local operator, Steve. All the transports were flawless, the experiences (especially with the local families) amazing and the hotels very nice: The guides were great and we’ve loads of fun together. Couldn’t recommend it more. Cambodia is a great and highly undervalued country which really deserves a visit outside of Angkor Wat.

KimKim helped us plan our first trip to Morocco and we absolutely recommend using KimKim if you are planning a trip to Morocco! KimKim connected us with Organic Tours in Morocco, and Ali and Said with Organic Tours arranged everything (even at a busy time of the year and with very late notice). After we specified what we wanted to do, and what our likes and dislikes were, they put together an itinerary that covered almost all of Morocco and allowed us to experience all the wonders of the country.

Ali and Said also selected our driver Tayeb, who was with us from the first day to the last, and the several guides in the individual cities we visited. And, although we thought it might not be for us, they talked us into spending two days in the Sahara in a tent camp, riding camels and drinking tea with the nomads living in the desert, and this turned out to be the part of the trip we have talked about the most since returning!

While we usually plan our travel, it was great having this trip planned for us, particularly since we did not decide until two weeks before the trip that we were headed to Morocco. The details on the places we visited: Casablanca (1 night), Rabat, Tangier (1 night), Chefchaouen (2 nights), Fez (3 nights, including day trips to Volubilis and Meknes), then the tent camp in the Sahara near Merzouga (2 nights), Skoura (2 nights) and finally Marrakech for the final 5 nights.

We can very strongly recommend that you use KimKim and Original Travels for travel to Morocco, and we will be using KimKim for our next adventure, when we decide where to go next!

And, if Morocco is not in your travel plans, we strongly recommend that you reconsider! A beautiful country with friendly people

This is the second time I’ve used Kimkim for a holiday. I normally do them myself but for harder destinations which require more research I find Kimkim perfect. We had a fantastic trip of a lifetime to Chile and Jesse was super helpful, always so responsive even when on holidays such as Christmas etc so that was something we really appreciated.

We had given Jesse some feedback about some small things eg one of the hikes we went on in Patagonia was described as a half day walk in the blurb but it actually turned out to be a full day walk (which is quite important to know when you are hiking as the distance/time is something which is important in terms of planning for food and water etc and also night activities afterwards) and some other things which she took onboard. But overall it was a good trip and I would book with Jesse and Kimkim again

Amazing trip and excellent communication. I plan to use them again to plan another trip!

I cannot recommend using KimKim to plan and book a trip enough! Start to finish the process was incredibly simple and quick and transparent. Our local specialist, Long, was always quick to respond, helpful, passionate about travel and always willing to adjust the itinerary to ensure we were happy and comfortable with it. He always had a different activity to suggest or a route for our trip that made the most sense but also maximized our experience and destinations! We had 12 days to work with in Central and Northern Vietnam and Long made sure we had the perfect balance of guided sightseeing tours and free time to explore ourselves. Before departure, Long was also very helpful with answering questions about our Visas and double checking all the information to ensure we didn’t have any problems at the airport or upon arrival in Vietnam. Once we arrived, Long checked in with us to welcome us to Vietnam and ensure we were taken care of almost immediately. From then on, Long checked in with us at appropriate intervals to ensure we were having a good time and had no issues. It was so comforting to know we had a solid contact in Vietnam for any issues or questions! The trip itself was beyond incredible. Hoi An was magical with all its lanterns and amazing restaurants and cafes. We had a delicious private food tour and sightseeing tour with Mr Chanh (please forgive the spelling if it’s incorrect) and it was clear how passionate he is about Vietnam but also providing a great experience to his travellers. We also took part in Ms Vy’s cooking class which was an amazing experience where we got to visit the Hoi An market to see where all the ingredients are sourced from and then took part in many cooking demos and tried so many wonderful dishes. We even got to meet Ms Vy at the end and have her personalize her cookbook for us which is such a special souvenir now. We also had stops in Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Halong Bay. Hanoi, the most hectic of all, was also meticulously planned. We enjoyed a great sightseeing tour and food tour there as well. We really enjoyed all the free time we had to explore and walk around ourselves. Ninh Binh was breathtaking and I’m so grateful to Long for not letting us miss it or skip it on our itinerary. It truly was one of the highlights! Our 2 night cruise on Ha Long bay was nothing short of incredible. A few days before our departure to Vietnam, Long contacted us to let us know that he has received some concerning reviews from a traveller regarding the cruise we were originally booked on. Long was quick to reassure us that he took it upon himself to rebook us on a better cruise and that there would be no impact to us, our wallet, or our schedule. That right there solidified our confidence in Long but also in Realistic Asia. What a special gesture to ensure our satisfaction and experience. It truly meant a lot to us and the result was a wonderful cruise with absolutely no issues and service to the highest standard! Every hotel that Long suggested and booked was top notch, and so was every activity and mode of transportation. We cannot wait to plan future trips with KimKim! Thank you, Long, and to all our guides and drivers!

Hotel Reviews

Erina Cruise

Incredible experience on this cruise! From the moment we boarded, we had Mr Vodka assigned to us as our server and assistant for the duration of the 2 nights. Vodka was kind and funny and ensured we were well taken care of! My husband got sick right before the cruise and had to miss out on some activities but Vodka was so kind as to check in on him and bring up a plate of refreshments for him when he missed lunch. The large jacuzzi was great and their cocktails were also incredible! The restaurant and food were all top notch and I cannot rave enough about the standard of service and the staff. The excursion to Cat Ba Island was also out of this world and a major highlight of the entire trip!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Clos Du Fil Hotel

Ninh Binh

The hotel was gorgeous and it was immediately clear how committed they are to every detail! The embroidery theme was evident immediately with beautiful touches in the room and throughout the property. The room was large and comfortable and had a gorgeous view. It was also in a perfect location to walk to restaurants and lounges along the Main Street. We had the best massage of the entire trip at this hotel! They even accommodated a later time for our treatment because they were fully booked.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Soleil Hanoi Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

The hotel was in a really great location. Only a few minutes walk to the old quarter and a couple minutes away from train street. The location could not have been better. The only downside was the size of the room which was a little small compared to other hotels on the trip but I know that was because of the style of hotel and how narrow the buildings are in Hanoi. It would be quite difficult to open a medium or large sized suitcase in that room so we ensure we only used our small carry-ons for that part of the trip and it was fine. The staff were exceptional and very kind and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silkotel Hoi An

Hoi An

The hotel is centrally located and is within walking distance to the old town and many other amazing restaurants. It’s also a very short 10 min drive away from An Bang beach! The rooms are large and very comfortable and clean. The staff were so accommodating and so incredibly helpful when the airline lost our luggage upon arrival in Vietnam. The front desk staff went out of their way to speak to the airline and airport to find out information for us. The breakfast buffet was really great each morning with different dishes to choose from daily and lots of fresh fruit!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Dark & Bright Cave – Disembarking cruise (Erina Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

A really fun way to end the cruise! Really enjoyed the boat tour through the cave and the views and company.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling At Viet Hai Village – Kayaking & Swimming (Erina Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Such a wonderful excursion. Beautiful sights on the boat trip to Cat Ba and so much fun riding bikes in the island and exploring a bit of the national park. Kayaking was a massive highlight! It’s just so beautiful and peaceful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Onboarding - Lan Ha Bay – Ba Trai Dao/ Tra Bau (Erina Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Truly a first class experience from beginning to end. The service, food, quality of drinks were all top notch. The room was spacious and gorgeous, the balcony was great and the large bathtub with a large window to see the views was breathtaking. Nothing but praise, appreciation and accolades to the whole Erina cruises team.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip Exploring The Natural Beauty of Trang An & Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Vietnam

The boat trip was really beautiful and a highlight of this trip. We really enjoyed trying mountain goat for lunch as well and the sightseeing of the temples and surrounding area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore The Beauty of Hanoi - Full Day Sightseeing

Hanoi

This tour was really great. We visited temples and pagodas and Ho Chi Minh complex. Unfortunately some of the museums were closed that day because it was Monday but it did not take away from the tour. Our guide was quick to suggest different points of interest and we also stopped at a beautiful lacquer art factory where we bought incredibly beautiful art to bring back home that is very unique to Vietnam.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Evening Walking Street Food Tour

Hanoi

We really enjoyed walking around the old quarter and trying Banh Mi and Pho with our guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms. Vy’s Cooking class - Holiday Master Class - Joint in tour

Hoi An

We really really enjoyed this experience! We had a very small group (4 people) which was great. Our guide, Autumn, was so passionate, funny and knowledgeable. Our walk through the Hoi A market was amazing and she did such a great job explaining everything about the ingredients and teaching us how they are used. The cooking class portion itself is more like many different demos than a full cooking class but it was still really enjoyable. We got to try so many different dishes and had a chance to taste everything. We were stuffed! Come hungry!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Sightseeing and Food Tour

Hoi An

This tour was fantastic. We visited so many points of interest within the Hoi An old town and it was clear how passionate and knowledgeable our guide was! The food we tried was amazing as well! We got to try a lot of the Hoi An specialities like white rose dumplings, Cau Lao and Banh Mi. We were stuffed by the end of it. The only downside and something that I think could be done better is the stops at the tailor shop and silk factory. We were not interested in either and felt the sales tactics were a bit pushy by the staff at those locations. Perhaps the guide can ask the visitors before starting if they are interested in visiting those locations to get their feedback.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was mostly a walking tour but we did take rides to some further locations which was quick and efficient.

I loved the entire trip. The only downside was too much time spent riding in the van, but Peru is SO HUGE it was unavoidable. It was interesting driving through the Andes and seeing animals and how the people in live.

Our guides were excellent, knowledgeable, and eager to answer our questions. The Machu Picchu guide was kind and considerate and helped me walk up the steps. (I have a bad knee).

I especially enjoyed the lunch and tour at Sarapampa Haienda. All the hotels were lovely, especially El Albergue and Tierra Viva in Aguas Calientes.

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Traditional Arequipa Food & sightseeing tour

Arequipa

Way too much food! We could hardly eat it all. The market was interesting and colorful. I would love to have the variety of fruits and vegetables available here in the USA, Arequipa is a beautiful and vibrant town. I would have liked to have spent more time there.

Quality of Experience

Food

I didn't care for the alpaca or Guinea pig but my husband loved it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private 02-Days Colca Canyon Tour 2/2

Peru

Too much time riding in the van and looking for condors. I'm not that into nature. We finally did see some condors and got some great pictures. The Colca Lodge was very nice and relaxing. We loved the hot springs!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private 02-Days Colca Canyon Tour 1/2

Peru

Very interesting drive to the canyon. Unfortunately, we had to make the return trip on the same route so it was so LONG and tiring.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the dinner at the Colca Lodge.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was AMAZING. We felt very safe and comfortable.

Transport

Private Cusco City Tour & San Pedro Market

Cusco

It was okay. Loved the archeology sites but there wasn't that much to see in the town. The cathedral was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ate lunch at the Inca Grill. Very nice place with excellent food and service.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oscar is a grat guide! He loves his city and was so informative.

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu) SV

Peru

Our guide was kind and patient. We were a party of 6 seniors from age 70 to 82. She was very helpful with the steps, took her time, etc.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great restaurants in Aguas Calientes and the breakfast at the hotel was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Briefing about your future tour/trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

2023/Explore Ollantaytambo, Pachamanca Farm Tour & Vistadome train to Machu Picchu town

Peru

Great hotel! We skipped much of the farm tour but we did make it back to the hotel in time for lunch. What a fun experience. Loved every minute of it! The scenery on the train was fantastic! We loved every minute of this part of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Loved El Alberque and the train to Machu Picchu.

Food

Fresh food, homemade pasta.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drivers were on time, easy to find and helped with our luggage.

Private tour to Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Could have skipped the salt mines - not really mines and not at all interesting. The climb up and down the stairs was not worth it for what we saw. I hated this part of the tour and felt like we were just filling up time. We stopped for lunch in a very nice town (sorry, can't remember the name) and ate in an old colonial house. It was excellent. I also really enjoyed meeting the women at the textile place in Chinchero.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was outstanding and made us feel very safe.

NVFlight & transfer to The {{end_location}}: Awanakancha, Lunch at Sarapampa Hacienda & Pisac sites

Peru

Joseph and his wife at Sarapampa Hacienda were so kind and informative. Oscar was a very interesting tour guide and we learned much about the Incas. Would have been nice to hear more about the previous cultures who inhabited the area before the Incas. One comment was that Oscar said the valley was named "The Sacred Valley" was named because hippies settled in the area in the 1960s. I beg to differ because everything I read said that the indigenous people thought it was sacred because of the water, climate and soil conditions.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are a retired couple that likes to have relaxing vacations while still seeing many of the sights. Most “pre-packaged” tours jam the trips full of activities every day. Lucia did a great job of tailoring the trip to our desires.

We were in Ecuador for two weeks and had all private tours except for two small group excursions in the Galapagos. All of our guides were great, especially Genaro in Cuenca. We loved Cuenca - it has an easy to explore old town area.

We felt like this trip was great value for the money, and have been recommending both Ecuador and KimKim to our friends and family. Thanks Lucia!

We absolutely Loved Finland and all that it had to offer. We managed to squeeze in so much during our 12 days there with activities, travel and transfers and 6 different accomodations. We would all love to come back again sometime.
Moonika was amazing to deal with right from the start. She helped tailor our itinerary to exactly what we wanted and there was lots of little tweaks along the way to fit everything in.
The transfer drivers were all brilliant too and very informative on the Finnish life. We had one driver 3 times and he was really great.
I was also very happy to meet Moonika in person when we arrived at the hotel. She went over all our tours in detail and asked if we had any questions. It was very comforting to know that she was nearby and always ready to help if needed.

Hotel Reviews

Arctic Light Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Northern Lights Village

Sirkka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel the Edge

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cahkal Hotel

Kilpisjärvi

Cahkal Hotel was really an incredible hotel and I wish we had more time there. The staff were all so lovely and friendly and helpful. The rooms are beautiful as well with everything you need. The breakfast and dinner there was top notch- that Roast Reindeer was next level. We had an issue with a left behind Ski Jacket at Northern Lights Village the previous day and once I informed the receptionist, she called them straight away and arranged one of her drivers who was picking up clients that morning to bring to Kilpisjärvi, to collect the jacket. We were about to go on the 3 Borders Snowmobile Tour and it all worked perfectly. By the time we had got back from the tour and sat down for some soup, the jacket had arrived. I was super impressed with them!. Would not hesitate to recommend this Hotel to anyone. The views from the room and the restaurant were stunning as well. Love Love Love this hotel!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

So helpful - see comment above!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kurula's Resort

Pyhätunturi

This resort is hands down AMAZING!! The views looking out of the rooms were just breathtaking and to have your own kitchenette for preparing meals was very handy. There is even a sauna in the room! The breakfasts were also beautiful. I wish i had used the resort sauna with ice bath in the lake but we were usually so exhausted after a days actiivities. The staff here are also wonderful and friendly. Would definitely come back here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location is only just outside Pyha but there is no shuttle so a taxi each way costs 20 euros. Otherwise the location is great!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Ice Fishing Experience

Rovaniemi

We were hoping to get all the details and iternary before we landed, the iternary in kimkim was not updated with correct dates even though I asked several times. We did not know who would pick us up at the airport and was told there would be a sign. Upon landing, noone was there and we had to catch a taxi to get to the hotel. Our kimkim rep also did not pickup his phone.

Once I got hold of kimkim agent, things started rolling in place. The local guides and reps were extremely good and we had an amazing experience in Egypt. Highly recommend the local agency used Egypt Promotions. Excellent work by them.

Activity Reviews

Alexandria Day tour

Alexandria

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC)

Cairo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alexandria day tour 1

Alexandria

Good to see but was expecting to reflect the ancient times in its building and content

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Abu Simbel temple and Aswan

Aswan

Unique experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Edfu-Komombo-Aswan

Edfu

Good experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon - Visit Valley of the Kings - Hatshepsut temple - Sail to Edfu

Luxor

Balloon is a must and adds to the experience. Valley of the kings was amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor temple

Egypt

Great experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour to visit Grand Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El-Din & Old Cairo

Cairo

Amazing seeing ancient artifacts and learning more about it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pyramids, Sphinx, Camel ride 15min, Sakkara & Memphis

Cairo

Great experience also little rushed, would have liked to spend more time there. Camal ride was fun.

Quality of Experience

Just being there

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly

Transport

Friendly

Cairo Walking Food Tour

Cairo

This was rushed because we lost time trying to find out who our rep was when we landed. I don't think we had the full experience. Thought it might have been food tasting but was more of just 1 meal.

Quality of Experience

Not rushed and taste various food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dhanushka helped us plan the perfect trip and was there for us every step of the way. Our local guide Nishada (Koon Holidays) was absolutely amazing as well. I will 100% use both again when I return!

Sri Lanka is a fantastic holiday destination…. E we saw so much wildlife (elephants, leopard, blue whale, sea turtle, sloth bear, etc), the food was delicious and the people so nice. I recommend this trip to anyone!

So easy to form your perfect trip with their help and guidance. Any modifications you want are easily done. And they are very responsive and easily available to you at all times. Highly recommend !

The overall trip was great and the activities planned were right in line with what we wanted. There were just a few pitfalls along the way that could have been managed better. The fine print in the trip plan did state that flights in South America were not covered, but it was placed below a statement that International flights were not covered and the agent did not make it clear we needed to book flights at specific times after we put our first payment in for the trip plan she created. Then when we were on the trip, there were a couple of hiccups with transportation and we had slow response back from the agent. In the end, this would not stop us from booking again with KimKim, but we will be more diligent during the process in setting expectations and clarifying things.

6 days: Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang
Both hotels (Pilgrimage Village in Hue & Palm Garden Resort in Hoi An ) were great
Local guide (Mr Thuong) & drivers were
Good itinerary & mix of activities. Agenda provided flexibility to explore (Hoi An) on our own
Website is very good for daily activity summary

Ashley was super responsive, knowledgeable and pleasant. Probably the smoothest trip we ever took. Every single step was easy! Fantastic trip. Thank you Ashley!

Australia was in our bucket list for a whole. Liz helped plan the dream trip in a timely manner. She was easy to interact with and responded promptly. She revised the itinerary based on our preferences and cost effectiveness. Inspite of all the planning due to cyclone Jasper we couldn’t do Port Douglas. But Liz and her local team Kasia helped plan a lot of the must sees. Highly recommend the trip and the specialist

Hotel Reviews

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

Nice comfortable hotel with wonderful onsite restaurants. Convenient for trips. Little pricey but comfy.

Authenticity & Character

Very beautiful and well maintained. Love the outback and native vibes.

Location

Convenient for tours and airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

Very moderate hotel. Rooms were small and noisy due to train tracks.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing special

Location

Centrally located but near train tracks making it inconvenient

Staff

Friendly and made us comfy in lobby when we had checked out and had long wait for our flight.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice pool

Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury

Adelaide

Wonderful location and friendly staff. Beautiful character considering it was the old treasury building.

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully transformed from treasury building to a hotel. Had history preserved for us to know and view.

Location

Right by Victoria square and easily walkable.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room had all the facilities. Just getting to elevator was confusing. Nice pool!

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour

Sydney

Centrally located in Darling Harbor. Friendly staff and good restaurant option though there is plenty to eat in the near by places.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing extraordinary. Normal

Location

Centrally located. Can go to circular quay etc easily. Lots of eateries around.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

There were mosquitos in lobby

Activity Reviews

Phillip Island Wildlife Day Trip & Penguin Parade

Melbourne

Definitely a not to miss experience. It’s surreal to see the penguins and the seals.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kangaroo Island Experience- Cruise / Cruise

Adelaide

Fantastic guide and awesome way to see Koalas, Kangaroos in their natural habitats! Lunch spread was awesome! Wish they had given time for dinner before the cruise back to Adelaide

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kata Tjuta Morning Walk & Breakfast

Uluru

Fantastic way to see the beauty during sunrise, wapau hike was great, breakfast was quite good too! Best way to see Kata Tjuṯa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Uluru Sunset

Uluru

It was a good tour but it was hard to understand the guide and felt like lot of waiting to see few places. Sunset location was not that spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Mountains Day Trip with Hike

Sydney

The visit to Calmsley farms was fantastic. My kid loved feeding the kangaroos and seeing them up close. Lunch was very delicious and kept us nourished for the hike. Not spectacular as Grand Canyon and definitely not a must do. Guide was really friendly and knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harbor Experience Cruise

Sydney

Nice cruise around the harbor. Enjoyed going under the harbor bridge the most.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ship was neat and convenient

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Very informative and timely tour! Got to see the opera house and even hear some artists prepping for their show.

Quality of Experience

Short and informative!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and friendly

I'm extremely happy with all the support I was provided with by Bryan and his team for my trip to Costa Rica. I reached out to Bryan with a simple ask: I want the best experience in Costa Rica! They planned everything for me and sent me a few options. After some modifications, we finalized the plan. Once I arrived in San Jose to my last leaving Costa Rica, I was 100% supported by the crew in Serendipity. All the people I interacted with, were amazing, super responsive, and knowledgeable. From day 1, Wilman provided the best support, whenever I needed something he was just one text message away. He was able some last-minute changes based on my requests. He is just amazing. Mariano also helped us a lot during our stay in La Fortuna. He is a very nice guy that you just want to hang out with him like your friend. He is a knowledgeable person with a great attitude and manner.
Overall, I would like to thank you Serendipity for providing us with the best service. Can't wait to visit Costa Rica again.

Our trip to the Yucatan was very special . All service providers were pleasant and friendly. The interactions with Mayan families in their community and learning to make tortillas , plant corn, make handicrafts and spot monkeys in the jungle was especially memorable. Of course, exploring the ancient Mayan cities and learning about their culture and scientific achievements was inspiring. Our guides were amazing in their knowledge and interest in our understanding of Mayan culture both in ancient and modern times. Hotels were excellent and transportation services efficient. A particular shout out to the taxi service drivers , Carlos, and others. Mariana from Rutopia was always a text or call away which helped smooth out any logistical wrinkles. Of course, thanks to Rene who helped plan the trip!! Finally, a round of applause to the zip line team in Punta Laguna who threw some thrilling adventure into the day.

We requested a whirlwind adventure, we only had a couple of days but Jay, of Bespoke India Holidays, managed to pack into those few days all we asked for and more. A day in Agra with tour guide Yogesh covered the important sites and was very informative and entertaining; the playboy emperor, the lovestruck emperor, the evil son and so much more. The following day Yogesh provided the low down on India's second capitol - Fathpur Sikri before he headed back to Agra and our driver - Raj, took us on to our next destination - Ranthambhore. A lot of driving over the five days but Raj was very good, considerate to our westernanity, one of us secure enough to actually sleep whilst he drove; the car was immaculately clean, comfortable and water and sweets were provided. Accommodation in Ranthambhore was six-star, two safaris into the national park resulted in two tiger sightings - luck I know but wow.

Hotel Reviews

Clark Shiraz

Agra

We were in town for a day of sightseeing, we had a driver who dropped us off and picked us up. The hotel was clean, the room was clean, spacious and comfortable. The restaurant that we used had a great range of great tasting foods available.

Authenticity & Character

This was a hotel, it was an authentic hotel but not authentic Indian accommodation. The hotel had an abundance of services and facilities.

Location

We were there for a day and had a driver who picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel so location was not an issue. Had we no driver and had we been there for more than just a day's sightseeing the distance to the centre of Agra may have been a concern.

Staff

All very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room, the public areas and the grounds were all very clean.

Aamaghati Wildlife Resort, Ranthambore

Ranthambore

Green, spacious, clean, open, fresh, a little oasis in the hustle and bustle of Indian life. Location; Out of town so quiet but it meant that if you wanted to visit the village you had to book a ride or take a long walk. Authenticity & Character; This is a resort 'authenticity' is not relevant. And nor really is 'character'. Aamaghati Wildlife Resort is a resort and compares above western resorts that I have stayed at. The presence of local musicians to welcome guests and provide background to High Tea added character to the experience. Staff; There were sufficient staff that assistance was always available if required. The staff were, almost, overly keen to be of help, all those we encountered were respectful, well mannered and well presented, all spoke good english. Cleanliness and Comfort; The grounds were spotless, the public areas were spotless, the rooms were spotless. The room we had (T4) was huge and well laid out.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing can improve authenticity, Aamaghati is a resort, it is a very good resort but resorts are not 'authentic' Indian accommodation.

Location

Nothing could be improved as you can't exactly pick the resort up and drop it off closer to the town. We were only there for a day and only for the safari, the location was perfect for our requirements. If we'd been there longer then the isolation from the village may have been a point of concern. I do not know (I did not notice) if you offer a taxi service between resort and village which would overcome the isolation.

Staff

All of the staff we encountered were very helpful to the point of bordering on being too helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless inside and out

Activity Reviews

Morning and Afternoon Safaris in Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore

We were lucky, two trips into the park - morning and afternoon, two tiger sightings. If we hadn't seen a tiger the rating would be a bit less but still up there. There were other things to see and the park itself was scenic.

Quality of Experience

We saw tigers, what more can you say

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were told a 6:30-7:00am pickup, the driver arrived at 7:30am. The driver we had didn't highlight or really point out the other animals we encountered and he certainly didn't give us the opportunity to photograph any of them, he seemed to be single mindedly intent on spotting a tiger, and to his credit he found us one. A close up and personal sighting, one that no other group got to see. We were told a 1:30-2:00pm pickup, the driver turned up after 2:30pm. This driver was a bit more informative about the other animals sighted and was also a bit more sensitive to our being tourists and interested in more than just the animals. And he got us a tiger.

Transport

We had jeep tours, two two-and-a-half person benches across the back of an open jeep. Comfortable for two (afternoon), bit tight for three (morning) persons. The roads in the park are, as you'd expect, rough.

Agra - Ranthambore via Fatehpur Sikri (296 km- 5 to 6 hours by car)

India

It's a long drive, the break at Fatehpur Sikri made it a little more bearable. The break at the level crossing did not - we had a twenty minute delay getting out of Agra while we waited for a train. Fatehpur Sikri is an interesting site and well worth the detour if you are in the area. The architecture is typical and impressive, the story behind is interesting and to link the structure to the story is great. A drive is a drive is a drive, there were sufficient interesting sights along the way to keep the mind from boredom.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Yogesh was informative, knowledgeable and entertaining. Raj was a very good driver.

Transport

Raj drove a very comfortable car that was immaculately clean.

Agra - Sightseeing and Mughal Heritage Walk

Agra

Agra Fort was an impressive structure and, courtesy of our guide, had an interesting, colourful and rich history. The size and scope of the buildings was hard for our 20th century minds to fully grasp. Taj Mahal. What can you say, even in the fog the building had a presence that you could literally feel. The detail work of the decorations, the design of the structure rivals any christian structure I have seen. Mughal Heritage Walk was probably a bit too much for our western sensibilities, it was certainly a bit of an eye opener to us to see village life up that close and personal. To be honest, we were a bit uncomfortable - rich westerners walking around a place where there was not that wealth.

Quality of Experience

It goes without saying, a visit to the Taj Mahal is Amazing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver for the whole tour - Raj, was great, a good driver (he didn't hit anyone) and very considerate. Our guide - Yogesh, was awesome, knowledgeable, entertaining, perceptive.

Transport

We had a private car with driver, the driver was good and the car was comfortable and clean.